The Government of the Russian Federation has promised support in establishing an institution of hospital chaplains in Russia, said vice-premier Tatyana Golikova, speaking at an international online conference called, “Spiritual assistance of hospital chaplains in medical centers: legal aspects, psychology, and management”. The conference was held in Moscow on October 6, 2021.

The conference was addressed by Patriarch Kirill of Moscow and All Russia. “The care for the ailing has at all times been a significant part of the Christian ministry,” His Holiness pointed out. “By the grace of God, the hospital ministry in Russia has been revived, with active support from the government. Our dioceses form special teams of priests, trained to attend to patients in infectious disease units. They have already been visiting the patients in these hospitals. In Moscow, hundreds of Orthodox Christian volunteers took special courses and started helping patients at Covid hospitals.”

“Thanks to the efforts of the RF Ministry of Health and the Synodal committee on Church charity and social ministry, with the support from the Russian Ministry of Labor and Social Protection, we are working on developing ministries at hospitals and clinics,” said Tatyana Golikova. “I am most positive that this conference should mark an important step in the direction of establishing an institution of hospital chaplains in Russia. The Russian government is prepared to render every possible assistance to this project.”

The event, which brought together hospital chaplains, academics, doctors, clergy, and politicians from Russia, the USA, Germany, Italy, France and the UK, was moderated by Bishop Panteleimon of Vereya, who is also the Chairman of the Synodal committee on Church charity and social ministry.